Amen-Ra Drummers

On Saturday Aprl 6, 4 to 5 p.m., the International African American Museum will launch its summer Keys & Conversations programming, beginning with a West African drumming experience presented by the Amen-Ra Drummers. Brothers Marwan Amen-Ra and Chi Amen-Ra will join IAAM for a performance and conversation on West African rhythms and their influence in American popular music.

The Amen-Ra Drummers perform traditional West African djembe music and other genres from across the African diaspora. Their musical influences range from African countries such as Mali, Senegal and Guinea to sites of African cultural dispersion such as the Caribbean, Congo, Haiti, Cuba and more.

Keys & Conversations provides youth and families the opportunity to witness performances and engage with musicians in specialized conversations on a variety of musical topics. Showcasing a diverse range of musicians, genres, and performance styles from across the global African diaspora, this program provides a fun and engaging introduction to music while also exploring connections between the songs and themes throughout history.

This event will take place in the West Yard of the museum, located at 14 Wharfside Street. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children. IAAM members will receive $5 off the purchase of each ticket. Guests may register and purchase tickets here.

The International African American Museum (IAAM) explores the history, culture and impact of the African American journey on Charleston, the nation, and the world, shining light and sharing stories of the diverse journeys, origin, and achievements of descendants of the African Diaspora. Across eleven galleries and a memorial garden with art, objects, artifacts, and multi-media interaction, IAAM is a champion of authentic, empathetic storytelling of American history. As a result, the museum will stand as one of the nation’s newest platforms for the disruption of institutionalized racism as it evolves today. The mission of IAAM is to honor the untold stories of the African American journey at the historically sacred site of Gadsden’s Wharf and beyond.